Eight dead in suspected Sudan cholera outbreak: report

January 16, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Eight people have died and 342 infected at several Sudanese states in a second wave of a suspected cholera outbreak within five months, said a report by the independent Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors.

The report, which was seen by Sudan Tribune on Monday, said the preliminary tests of diarrhea samples proved they were cholera cases, pointing such cases are usually confirmed by a reference laboratory and announced by the Department of Epidemiology at the Health Ministry.

It pointed that a number of cases have been reported in Khartoum, Gazeera and Red Sea states, saying “such cases must be handled with utmost seriousness to ensure the safety of patients and curtail the spread of the epidemic”.

The report demanded the authorities to apply the scientific universal measures in dealing with such cases and announce the results with full transparency, saying the disease is highly contagious.

According to the report, 51 child infected with acute watery diarrhea have been admitted to Ahmed Gasim Hospital in Khartoum North while 81 patients with similar symptoms were received at Alban Gadid Hospital on Friday and Saturday.

It pointed that the administration of Alban Gandid Hospital has warned its medical staff against giving any information about the suspected cases or describe them as cholera cases.

The report added that 25 cases of cholera-like symptoms have been admitted to Al-Tamaiuz Hospital in Khartoum North, saying the emergency room at Wad Medani Hospital in the Gazeera state received 11 cases.

It stressed that 160 cases of acute watery diarrhea have been received at Gabait Hospital in the Red Sea state, saying that 8 patients have died of the disease.

The report further pointed to a large number of watery diarrhea cases in the town of Suakin in the Red Sea state.

Last September, Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health acknowledged that 55 people have died and 2619 were infected in Blue Nile State by watery diarrhea caused by (E. coli) bacteria stressing that the epidemic was not cholera.